Maize production at phenological stages affected by water irrigation stress in dryland conditions

Abstract

Abstract The growth and yield of maize are significantly influenced by the adequacy of soil moisture during the growth period. Given the uncertain rainfall due to climate change, the availability of water for maize production is becoming increasingly limited, while the demand is rising due to population growth. The extent to which maize yield is affected by soil moisture stress at each phenological stage in dryland areas has not been thoroughly explored. This study aimed to determine the production and biomass of maize at various growth stages due to water stress. Watering using drip irrigation equipped with soil moisture sensors was stopped after the maize plants reached 20, 40, 60 (flowering), 80 days after sowing (DAS), and at harvest. Parameters of biomass, maize yield, and other parameters were determined when the soil’s permanent wilting point reached, and soil samples were taken to determine the moisture content. The results showed that irrigation up to 80 DAS was not significantly different in yield, although it was 30% lower than that irrigation up to harvest. However, irrigation up to 60 DAS reduced the yield by 3.9 times and 4.9 times compared to the yield at irrigation up to 80 DAS (85.897 grams/plant) and at harvest (108.57 grams/plant), respectively. Other parameters, such as dry biomass, cob weight, cob length, and cob diameter followed the yield trend, although their values varied. The dry biomass of maize at irrigation until 20 and 40 DAS were 13.68 grams/plant and 40.05 grams/plant, respectively. The experiment implies that irrigation water should be provided until 80 DAS to minimize significant yield losses of maize in dryland conditions.